In vehicles, in particular motor vehicles, automatic positioning and navigational aids for guiding the driver to a desired destination can be provided so as to increase driving safety and improve driving comfort. The values for positioning are, for example, supplied by a GPS satellite navigation system (global positioning system). In addition, sensors or detectors that supply data regarding the vehicle, e.g. the rotational speed of the wheels, the distance traveled or the corners that the vehicle has taken, may be provided in the vehicle, in particular for the navigational aids.
Furthermore, that data regarding vehicle operating statuses, e.g. the fuel tank level, vehicle speed or temperatures, can be determined and used to provide a display, a warning or other measures, in the vehicle independently of positioning or navigational aids having sensors or detectors.
As a general rule, these two systems - the first system for positioning and navigational aids, and the second system for determining data regarding vehicle technical operating statusesxe2x80x94function independently of one another, especially as many motor vehicles are equipped with the second system but not the first. If both systems are used simultaneously in a motor vehicle, considerable expenditure with regard to components, space, and current consumption is involved.
The subject matter of the present invention has the following advantages: the number of components required and the associated costs can be reduced by using the sensors or detectors jointly for at least two systems. Furthermore, data which per se are only obtained and evaluated in one of the systems can also be evaluated in the other system or systems and used for various novel functions or purposes, without additional sensors or detectors for these data being required. Thus novel functions, particularly relating to driving safety and driver aids, can be implemented in a plurality of systems at low cost. This applies not only to systems in widespread use today but also to further future systems that supply traffic-specific telematics data. Telematics is an IT term that combines the words xe2x80x98telecommunicationsxe2x80x99 and xe2x80x98informaticsxe2x80x99 and relates to the use of IT components, methods and systems in digital telecommunications.
Below is a list giving the meanings of the characters and abbreviations used in the following description and in the drawings.
Thus in the present invention good use is advantageously made of the fact that much of the data determined in the vehicle, e.g. the rotational speed of the wheels, vehicle speed or the fuel tank level, is required not only to provide displays regarding vehicle technical operating statuses according to the aforementioned second system but also for positioning and navigational aids according to the aforementioned first system, or can be used to implement novel functions and driver aids. In the opposite direction, certain data in the first system, e.g. regarding route conditions, the route to be taken or weather conditions, may be useful for influencing technical operating statuses in the vehicle. They can be used to trigger procedures for adapting the vehicle or driving style to the prevailing circumstances. These adaptations may be made by the driver, who is provided with a recommendation via a display, which he then carries out. Alternatively, the adaptations may be made automatically without the involvement of the driver, e.g. a rear fog light is switched on if conditions are foggy. In both instances, new data required in a system are not generated via additional sensors or detectors; instead, data are supplied by the other system by way of data exchange. Thus each datum can be generated just once, using a given sensor or detector.
A first embodiment type of the present invention is based on a vehicle in which data are determined in the first system using a first group of sensors or detectors and in the second or further system using a second or further group of sensors or detectors, some of the data in both or a plurality of systems being the same. Then costs can be reduced by combining sensors or detectors for gathering the same data for the two or further systems into a single sensor or detector that functions for both or further systems. For the sake of simplicity, the embodiments described below relate to two systems only. In Table 1 provided below, examples of data of this kind that are utilized in at least two systems are given. Note that some of the data supplied by a given sensor or detector can be evaluated and used for completely different functions and purposes in the two systems.
According to a second embodiment type of the present invention, data that are not present in the first system are determined and utilized in the second system. The data present in the second system are then additionally sent to the first system for evaluation. There are fewer cost savings associated with this type of embodiment. However, the advantage thereof is that novel functions and options can be implemented in the first system, i.e. the system for positioning and navigational aids, without additional sensors or detectors being required for this purpose in the first system. Examples of this embodiment type are shown in Table 2 below.
The table shows various data that are only obtained in the second system and per se only relate to vehicle technical operating statuses. These data are additionally used in the first system for resulting displays, recommendations, route changes, remedial action and such like.
According to a third embodiment type of the present invention, data obtained and utilized only in the first system are additionally used in the second system. This is useful if, due to special circumstances relating to navigation, technical measures in the vehicle are required or advisable, or constitute a particular benefit to the driver, or result in vehicle functions being adapted to navigating conditions, for example an inexperienced driver might be unaware of the need for such adaptations or might have forgotten about them. Examples are shown in Table 3 below.
Preferably, the two systems are linked so that data regarding a vehicle operating status determined in the second system trigger an ensuing, functionally or logically connected or useful navigation display in the first system. For example, if the second system determines that the fuel is running out, this triggers in the first system a navigation display indicating the closest gas station or a gas station within range.
Similarly, the two systems can be linked so that a status relating to navigation determined in the first system automatically triggers an ensuing required or appropriate measure relating to the vehicle technical operating status in the second system. For example, if the first system determines that the vehicle is travelling along a street with a speed limit, the first system may affect the cruise control in the second system, so that the vehicle""s maximum speed is automatically limited to the maximum permitted speed.